Gennifer Brandon scored 16 points to lead a balanced offense to help the Bears (22-2, 12-1) get their 10th straight win, 79-51 over UCLA on Friday night.

UCLA coach Cori Close said the Bears were the more aggressive team — Cal had 15 steals in the game, including 10 by Brittany Boyd — and never allowed the Bruins to get into its game.

"We said in the locker room, we have to punch first," Close said. "When you start that slow and that flat, it is really hard to get revved back up."

Atonye Nyingifa scored 20 points for UCLA (19-5, 10-3), which had won six straight since a loss at California on Jan. 20. The Bruins shot just 34 percent (19 for 56) from the field.

The Bears built their 19-point lead in the first half and led by 18 at the break. UCLA made an early run in the second half in an effort to cut into Cal's halftime lead. Nirra Fields had a steal and dribbled the length of the court to score and pull the Bruins to 47-36 with 13:57 remaining. But they could get no closer the rest of the way.

"It was a big game for us," Nyingifa said. "It's disappointing to lose, especially one we felt we had to win. But we have to get ready to play another game (Sunday against No. 4 Stanford)."

Boyd and Layshia Clarendon had 14 points each for California, and Reshanda Gray added 10.

The Bruins started slowly, missing their first five field-goal attempts and allowing Cal to jump out to an 11-6 lead after a basket by Clarendon, her only two points of the first half.